N23b Diezani Bribe: INEC suspends 205 employees

•Commission refers National Commissioner, RECs to Presidency

The independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) yesterday said out of N23billion poll bribery cash, about N3,046,829, 000 was traced to some of its staff involved in 2015 general elections.

The commission has also referred a National Commissioner and five Resident Electoral Commissioners( RECs), who were implicated in the bribery scandal, to the presidency for disciplinary action.

It said it has suspended 205 pending the final determination of cases they have with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC).

But following insufficient information, 70 other staff have been referred back to EFCC for further investigation.

These disciplinary measures were contained in a statement by the National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Mallam Mohammed Haruna.

For the first time, INEC admitted that

The statement highlighted major decisions taken by INEC management on the report of a panel it set up to look into the poll bribery scam allegedly facilitated by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The statement said: “The Commission met today to consider the report of its expanded Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee on the EFCC Interim Report on Bribery Corruption and Money Laundering Charges During the 2015 General Elections.

” You may recall that late last year, the Commission received an Interim Report from the EFCC detailing allegations against 202 serving and retired INEC officials and staff in 16 States of the Aa

” In furtherance of its zero tolerance for corruption in the electoral process, the Commission ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations to establish the culpability or otherwise of those named in the EFCC Report.

“The committee’s work was thorough and painstaking, involving issuance of queries to the 202 staff mentioned in the Report and interviewing them individually in accordance with the principle of fair hearing and in consonance with INEC Staff Conditions of Service.

“As a result of initial findings of the Committee, an additional 80 serving officials of the Commission, who were not named in the EFCC report but whose names came up in the course of the investigation, were also queried and interviewed.”

The statement gave the details of disciplinary measures which INEC has taken against its staff.

The statement added: “Among other things the Committee found that:

“There was a clear attempt to bribe INEC staff to influence the outcome of the 2015 general elections using an NGO, the West African Network of Election Observers (WANEO), made up mainly of retired senior INEC officials.

“Out of over 23 billion Naira, which the EFCC report said was used to influence the elections, the Committee established that 3,046,829,000 Naira was received by INEC staff in 16 States.

“In reaching its decision on the findings of the Committee, the Commission adhered strictly to the INEC Staff Conditions of Service. The Commission therefore decided as follows:

* The cases of one former National Commissioner, 5 former Resident Electoral Commissioners (one of them deceased) have been referred to the Presidency and EFCC for further necessary action.

* Based on their level of involvement, two hundred and five (205) serving INEC staff will be immediately placed on Interdiction, which entails suspension from duties and being placed on half salary, pending the final determination of the cases they have with the EFCC.

* Seventy staff (70) about whom there was insufficient information regarding their involvement will be referred back to EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

“The Commission hereby reiterates its commitment to defending the integrity of the electoral process. Therefore, it will continue to take stern action against its officials who compromise its core values of integrity, transparency and impartiality in the conduct of elections.”